The free preview on vswp is a short test of your AI video swap: about 5 seconds of your video at 480p, taken from where the people you added photos for are on screen, with the original sound and a small "vswp.app" mark. Every new user gets one, and if it fails, the free try comes back. It lets you see how your photos work in your chosen video before you spend any Telegram Stars on the full one.
What exactly do you get in the free preview?
The preview is made the same way as a full video, just shorter and smaller:
- About 5 seconds. vswp takes them from the part of your clip where the people with photos are on screen. For a very short clip, the preview is at most half of it and never less than 2 seconds.
- 480p quality. Enough to judge likeness, hair and clothes on a phone screen.
- The original sound of those seconds.
- A small "vswp.app" mark. Paid videos have no mark.
- An MP4 you can watch, download or share like any other result.
Everything before the preview is free as well: signing in with Telegram, picking a video from Trends or uploading your own, and the automatic search for people in it. Read what's free on vswp and what costs Stars for the full picture.
How do you make your free preview?
- Open vswp in the browser on your phone or computer and sign in with Telegram. There is no password and nothing to install.
- Pick a video from Trends, where the people are already found, or upload your own: 1 to 120 seconds, up to 150 MB. For an upload, vswp searches the first 30 seconds for people, usually in a couple of minutes.
- If your moment comes later in a long clip, choose another part of up to 30 seconds. Our guide on picking the best 30 seconds helps here.
- Add a photo for each person you want to replace, as JPEG, PNG or WebP. Everyone without a photo stays as in the original.
- Decide on "Keep the original look". On, the clothes stay as in the video and only faces and hair change. Off, the clothes and hair come from your photo.
- Press Make the free preview and wait. Previews are usually ready in minutes.
How do you get the most out of one free try?
You have one preview, so set it up as you would set up the paid video. A test that differs from your final plan tells you little.
- Use the photos you will really use. A sharp, well-lit photo of one person with the whole face visible works best. A full-body photo carries clothing, hair and silhouette best; a portrait can't show clothing it doesn't contain. See which photos work for an AI video swap.
- Add every person you plan to replace. The preview comes from where the people with photos are on screen, so with all photos added you see them together.
- Pick the part before you press the button. The preview is drawn from the part you chose, so a part with large, clear faces gives a fairer test.
- Choose the look setting on purpose. If you are unsure, read swap only the face or the whole person first.
What should you check when you watch it?
Watch the preview a few times, once on a big screen if you can. Look at:
- Likeness. Does each face read as the person in the photo, from the angles in the clip?
- Hair and clothes. Do they match what you expected from the "Keep the original look" setting?
- Hands and faces in motion. Look closely at quick turns and hands passing in front of a face.
- The right people. Each photo should land on the person you gave it to, while everyone else stays as in the original.
If something is off, the reason is often the photo or the part of the video, not luck. Change one of them before you pay. Our guide on what to do when a face swap doesn't look like you lists the usual fixes.
What if the preview fails or isn't available?
If the preview fails or is canceled, you get the free try back and can start it again.
The number of free previews per day is limited across the service. When the limit is reached, the free preview is unavailable for a while, and the app says when the next one frees up.
What happens after the preview?
When you like what you see, press Create the full video. Here is how it compares:
| Free preview | Full video | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | About 5 seconds | Your whole part, up to 30 seconds |
| Quality | 480p | 480p or 720p |
| Mark | Small "vswp.app" mark | No mark |
| Price | Free | Telegram Stars (⭐) |
The price depends on the length, the quality and the number of people, and the app shows the exact price and the estimated time before you start. Stars are taken when a render starts and come back automatically if it fails or is canceled. You buy Stars in packs in the bot @vswpapp_bot.
Keep in mind that the full video is a new render. This is generative AI, not frame-exact editing, so details can differ slightly from the preview; the preview shows how your photos work, not a frame-by-frame copy of the final result.
Is it okay to use any photo for the preview?
Use only videos and photos you have the right to use, and ask people before you put their photo into a video. By pressing the button you confirm you have that right. Rules on AI video differ by country, and this is not legal advice; in the EU, the AI Act's disclosure rule for deepfakes applies from August 2026, so label AI videos clearly when you post them.
FAQ
How long is the free preview?
About 5 seconds, taken from where the people with photos are on screen. For a very short clip it is at most half of the clip and at least 2 seconds.
Can I get more than one free preview?
Each new user gets one free preview. If it fails or is canceled, the free try comes back; a friend who joins with your invite link gets their own.
Why does the free preview have a mark?
The small "vswp.app" mark is how the free preview differs from paid videos. A full video paid in Telegram Stars has no mark.
Will the full video look exactly like the preview?
Not frame for frame. The full video is a new render with the same photos and settings, so it is usually close to the preview, but small details can change.